A HEARTFELT letter from an eight-year-old girl who wanted to help feed people in need led to a donation to the Taunton Foodbank.

Chloe Moolman wrote to a local co-operative to make her ‘dream' of feeding people affected by the coronavirus crisis come true.

And her letter prompted the Southern Co-op to donate several crates of food being donated to the Taunton charity.

Chloe wrote her letter as she worked towards her charity badge with the Bishops Lydeard Brownies.

She had chosen to support the Trussell Trust Food Bank in Taunton as ‘the coronavirus has caused many people to lose their jobs causing them not to be able to feed themselves or their family'.

She went on to say she was ‘writing this letter to you to ask if you are able to help make my dream of feeding people in need come true'.

Colleagues at The Co-operative Food stores in Cotford, Taunton and Norton Fitzwarren were more than happy to get involved and collected several crates of goods to donate.

Simon Clover, area manager for Southern Co-op - the regional, independent co-operative, said: "The community spirit we have seen during the pandemic has been really wonderful.

"We've had people sending gifts to our colleagues to thank them for their hard work and, in turn, our colleagues have sent gifts to people they felt have made a difference during lockdown.

"So when we received the letter from Chloe, we were delighted to be able to make her dream come true.

"We are very aware of the increased need for help at the moment which is why we have already donated more than £100,000 to charities supporting people and organisations across the south."

Other local donations have included a hamper from colleagues in Taunton's Wellington New Road store to the local NHS Musgrove Hospital, a hamper from colleagues at Exmouth's Brixington Parade store to the Cornerstone Church in Cranbrook, and a hamper from colleagues in Cotford St Lukes to the Conquest Centre.

The Neighbourly Community Fund, one of the charities supported by Southern Co-op, is providing micro-grants to good causes that are helping communities affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

Organisations based near Southern Co-op's stores or funeral homes can apply through their new or existing Neighbourly profiles at www.neighbourly.com/goodcause and using the referral code SouthernCoopPartner.